Stereophonic reproduction occurs when a sound source (such as an orchestra) is recorded on two different sound channels by one or more microphones. Upon reproduction by a pair of loudspeakers, the sound source does not appear to emanate from a single point between the loudspeakers, but instead appears to be distributed throughout and behind the plane of the two loudspeakers. The two-channel recording provides for the reproduction of a sound field which enables a listener to both locate various sound sources (e.g., individual instruments or voices) and to sense the acoustical character of the recording room. Two channel recordings are also often made using a single microphone with post-processing using pan-pots, stereo studio panners, or the like.
Regardless, true stereophonic reproduction is characterized by two distinct qualities that distinguish it from single-channel reproduction. The first quality is the directional separation of sound sources to produce the sensation of width. The second quality is the sensation of depth and presence that it creates. The sensation of directional separation has been described as that which gives the listener the ability to judge the selective location of various sound sources, such as the position of the instruments in an orchestra. The sensation of presence, on the other hand, is the feeling that the sounds seem to emerge, not from the reproducing loudspeakers themselves, but from positions in between and usually somewhat behind the loudspeakers. The latter sensation gives the listener an impression of the size, acoustical character, and the depth of the recording location. The term “ambience” has been used to describe the sensation of width, depth, and presence. Two-channel stereophonic sound reproduction preserves both qualities of directional separation and ambience.